Gasifier and fixing device



G. L. REICHHELNI.

GASIHER AND FIXING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 7.1911.

1,3 10,927. Patented July 22, 1919.

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APPLICATION FxLED JULY 1,1911.

1,3 1 0,927 .Patented J u1y'22, 1919.

2 sEETs-SHEET 2.

. Gasifier and Fixing Devices, of which the` i AG'IIORG-IE L. REICHHELM,OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

GASIFIER AND FIXING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Julyr 22, 1919.

Application tiled J'uly `7, 1917. Serial No. 179,154.

follow-ing is a specification.

- This invention. relates to a device for gasifying and fxingiiuids,such as fluid fuel including volatile oils.

One of the objects of the invention is to facilitatemixing of liquidvfuels and fixing' the same.

v Another object is to control the relative proportions of air andliquid fuel forming constituent parts of the mixture.

Another object is to v-provide a simple and compact arrangementincluding a gasifier, fixing means, burner, and an associated device inwhich gases formed by the gasifler and fixing means will be consumed.

Another object of the invention is' to pro- Vide a gasifer, a fixer andburner combina` ltion adapted to meet the varlous requirements forsuccessful commercial operation.

These and other objects are accomplished by providing the combination ofheat emitting means, means for supplying oil .in the form of a foam,means for supplying air to mix with tl'ie oil foam and projecting themixture against the heat emitting means for fixing the mixture, andmeans associated therewith in which the resultant gas may be consumed.

The invention is illustrated on the accompanying sheets of drawings, inwhich,

Figure 1 is a side elevationof my gasifier fixing and burnercombination;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the same; f

Fig. 3 is ay fragmentaryv plan view of a modilied arrangement lin whicha steam injectoris used; r v v v Fig. 4 shows'more in detail aV completearrngement in which a steaml injector is use g n. v A

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional View taken in the plane of line 5--5 ofFig. 4, and,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of a further modification ofIrryinvention;l

The various novel features of-the invention will be ap arent from thefollowing description and lrawingsand will be partielllarly pointedoutin the'appended claims.

In this application lI am concerned primarily with the proper supply of011 1n the form of a foam, the oil foam being taken up or mixed with airand the resultant mixture projected against a heated surface for fixingthe gas, and means for heating the heated surface and consuming the gasformed. I

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be noted thatI have providedan air inlet pipe 10, the supply of air thereto being controlled by avalve 11. The air is preferably supplied under pressure by a fan 12;Air, afterv passing the valve 11, divides proportionately in accordancewith the angular position of a throttle valve 13 and passes through two.

pipes 14 and 15, the latter of which extends downwardly and has ahorizontally arranged portion 16 which extends into an oil 'receptacle17 supplied with oil from a tank 18 by a suitably driven pump 19 throu ha pipe 20. The oil4 in the receptacle 1 is maintained at a constantlevel, the excess amount passing through an overfiow connection 21leading back to the supply tank 18. The laterally extending portion 16of the pipe 15 is provided with a series of openings 22, which openingsare located below the level of the oil in the receptacle 17. Air passingthrough the pipe 15 causes oil in the receptacle 17 to bubble up throughan outlet nozzle 2:3 in the form of a foam. This nozzle 23 extends intothe pipe 14 and as a result thereof oil foam issuing from the nozzle ispicked up, atomized and mixed with air which is supplied through thepipe 14, the resultant mixture passing through an irregular zigzag pipe24 andl first splayed then `passes down over an oppositely inclinedsurface 26, and then successively strikes surfaces '27, 28 and '29 afterpassing down in- 'termediate surfaces 30 and 31. All of these surfacesare heated by gas dames issuing from openings 32 formed in the upperside of a burner 33. The burner receives the gas from the zigzag pipe 24through a passageway 34. As a result of the fuel being supplied in theform of a foam, very fine particles of liquid fuel are picked up andcarried away from the nozzle 23, the action being substantially the sameas that of an atomizer. The stream of fluid passing from surfaces 2 7,2.8,v and 29 in turn. Flames whlch impmge the lower surface of thezigagainst an inclined surface 25. The mixture zag pipe 24 heat it to aconsiderable degree.

l Any vapor which is formed in the pipe 24 Oil may be projected againsta hot sur.

face, and so long as the oil is not heated to too high a temperaturethere will be no sign 'of cracking. but i'f the oil is left in a.stationary position and heat imparted to it to a sufficient degree adeposit of carbon will nso through the passageway gas be the result. Oilhas been splayed against the'seheated surfaces in question and it isfound that so `long as these surfaces are maintained at a temperatureabove the, vaporizing 'point of the oil no trouble what- 'soever isencountered in preventing what is called cracking. .The surfaces canbekept at a comparatively high temperature, that is, above a red heatwithout causing any cracking. This is attributed to the fact that oilsurrounded by air will not become heated to a temperature high enough tocrack it. The resultant vapor upon being projected against another 'hotsurface causes the gas to become a* degree nearer fixation. Of

course it is apparent that if large volumes.

of gas are being treat-ed the number of heating steps shouldberincreased.

Instead of sulpplying'air under pressure by a fan, shown in Fig. 1, aircan be drawn into the pipe (see Figs. 3 and 4) by high velocity steam'passing into the pipe 35. from an injector 36. The balance of theaction would be quite the same as when the fan or blower is used exceptthat the steam remains an inert gas; however, in some cases it isdesirable to use steam in place of installing a blower. By the action ofair through the pipe 37 and openings 38 inthe laterally extending partthereof', oil in the y form of foam 1s projected from the oil receptacle39 through the outlet tube or nozzle 40 having a plurality of relativelysmall outlet openings 41. When steam is forced through the injector itwill cause the induction of air into pipe 35 and in order to makethe'heating surfaces 42 and 43 as small'as possible only enough 35 tomake a fixed which will be discharged through a noz- `zle 44 and atlthis point induct the balance of the necessary air into the burner 45for combustion-purposes. In this way a smaller volume of Huid is passedthrough the vaporizer and gasifier because if the gas is fixed beforearriving at the nozzle 44 the `action from that point will be the sameas in an ordinary cook stove burner.

steam and air is takenand 6 I have also provided a glass tube 50,

lwhich is for the purpose of collecting Water 1n case any condensationfrom the steam should flow into the oilv receptacles 39 and 47. Thiscondensation would seek the 10W- est level and when Water hasaccumulated to a given level 51., for example, thejpet-cock 52 may 'beopened for draining off the Water.

Among other applications of my invention it may find particular value inconnec-.

tion with locomotives. In Fig. 2 I have shown a suitable heat supplysource 60 adjacent the burner 33. y Where steam is used the heatingsurfaces 42 and 43 may be heated preli'minarily by passing lsteam voversaid surfaces, steam at V180 lbs. pressurel being capable of heating thesurfaces to at least 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Under such conditions it ispossible to start the burner 45 (see Fig. 4') on some of the relativelyheavy fuels, such for example, as kerosene oil, the vaporizing pointofwhich is far below the temperature mentioned.

Vhere fuel is supplied in the form of bubbles or foam it is possible tomaintain a con-v stant mixture, that is, the higher the rate of How of-air the greater Will be the number of bubbles projected up through thenozzle. It will be noted that the level of the oil in the oil containingreceptacles 17, 39 and 47 is automatically maintained' constant vandthis level is sufiiciently low to make it impossible 'for oil to runinto the vaporizer or burner thereby making the arrangement relativelysafe. v

-It is apparent that there may be various modifications of the inventionherein par'- ticularly shdwn and described, and it is my intention tocover all such modifications which do not involve a departure from theyof a foam, and meansfor supplying air to i carry .the foam intoengagement with said heated means to fix the resulting gas. y 3. Inadevice of the class described, the combination of means-for supplyingair and hydro-carbon in the form of a foam, and

means for supplyingair to said foamto produce a combustible mixture. j

4. In a'device of the class described, an .-oil reservoiry having asupply outlet, and

a luid'connection to said oil-reservoir having an opening therein belowthe level of the f whereby oil in the form of a foam may be supplied tothe outlet of said receptacle.

oil

5, In a device of-'-theclassdescribed, an oil reservoir having a supplyoutlet, a fluid connection to said oil` reservoir having an `openingtherein below the level of the oil whereby oil in the form of a foam maybe supplied to they outlet of said reservoir, and means whereby a fluidmay be passed by said outlet portion to mix with the oil iloam- 6. In adevice of the class described, the combination of means having aplurality `of successively arranged hot surfaces, means orsupplying oilin the form of a foam, and means for supplying air to carry said oil asa mixture successively against the hot surfaces of said means.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination'of a passagewayterminating in a step portion, means for heatin said step portion, meansfor supplying el to said passageway in the form of a foam, rand meansfor supplying air through said passageway to project the resultmgYmixture against said hot step portion.

v stepped portion,

In a device of the class described, the combination of apassagewayterminating in a zigzag portion to form a plurality of steps,means for heating said zigzag portion,

means for supplying air and oil in the form o f a foam to saidpassageway, and means for carryin the foam over the heated steps. 9. Inaevice of the classdescribed, the combination of a passageway, a heaterin opencommunication therewith and arranged to heat said passageway,means for supplying air and fuel to said passageway and meansA forsupplying air tor said passageway whereby the resultlng mixture may bexed.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination -of a passagewayhaving a a heater in open communication with said stepped portionarranged to heat the said ste pcd pbrtion, means for supplying oil tosai passageway in the form of a foam, and means for supplying air-tosaid passageway whereby the resulting mixture may pass through thestepped portion, be fixed heater.

taining rece `containing receptacle to raise oil vto said passagewaytherein and passed into saidv.

11. In a device of the classdescribed, the combination of a passageway,an oil containing receptacle having an outlet nozzle connected to 4saidpassageway, a fluid conveying pipe extending between said passageway andsaid oilreceptacle andhaving an 'opening in said receptacle below thelevel of the oil therein whereby iiuid may pass from said passagewayinto said oil containing receptacle to supply oil in the form of a 0amat said nozzle.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination of a passageway,an oil containing receptacle having an outlet nozzle connected to saidpassageway, a' Huid Vconveying pipe extending between said passageway.and said oil receptacle and having an opening in said receptacle belowthe level o the oil therein whereby :Huid may pass from said passagewayinto said oil containing ,receptacle to supply oil in the form of a foamat said nozzle, and means for controlling the quantity of foam suppliedto said-.passageway v v 13. Ina device of the class described, .thecombination of a passageway, an oil contacle having an outlet nozzleconnected with said passageway, a fluid conveying connection betweensaid passageway and oil containing receptacle having an opening withinsald receptacle below the evel of the oil therein whereby oil in theform of a -foam may be supplied to said passageway, and a valve in saidpassageway lto control the relative quantities of Huid supplied to saidoil receptacle and passed said nozzle.

14. In a device of the class described, the combination of an airpassageway, an oil containing receptacle below the same having an outletnozzle extending 1 1 wardly into said passageway, and means air throughsaid passageway and to said oil up into said passageway in the form of afoam.

15. In a xdevice of the class described, the combination of a burner, apassageway leading to said burner, means for supplying oil in the formof a foam, and means for conveying air through said passageway toproduce a combustible mixture which becomes fixed in said passageway andpart of which is supplied .to said burner to heat said passageway andthe remaining part being supplied for another heating purpose. 4

Signed at New Haven, 2nd day of-July, 1917. l

' GEORGE L. REICHHELM. Witnesses: L

EDNA E. Rose, SUSAN C. BRADLEY.

Connecticut, this

